Addressing attachment for printing-presses.



P atente d June 25, IQOI. J. P. BRYAN & H. C. S'INCLAIR. ADDRESSING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES (Applicatibn filed Feb. 12, 1901.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

m: now! mus m. PncYo-umo. wunmu'rou, 0, Q

No. 677,060. Patented June 25, IQOI. J. P. BRYAN &. H. C. SINCLAIR. ADDRESSING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Applicatian filed Feb. 12, 1901.) 3-Shaets-Sheet 2.

L M IA m: mam: PEYERS $0.. Photo-uric. wunmsmn, n. cy

No. 677,060. Patented June 25, l90l.

J. P. BRYAN & H. C. SINCLAIR.

ADDRESSING ATTACHMENT FOB PRINTING PBESSES. (Application filed Feb. 12, 1901.) (No ludel.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3..

77????055 68 Z7700)? f0 7's i /5.96 MM M/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH P. BRYAN AND HARRY O. SINCLAIR, OF ST. MICHAELS, MARYLAND.

ADDRESSING ATTACHMENT FOR PRlNTlNG-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 677,060, dated June 25, 1901.

Application filed February 12, 1901. Serial No. 46,968. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH P. BRYAN and HARRY O. SINCLAIR, of St. Michaels, in the county of Talbot and State of Maryland, have invented certainlmprovementsin Addressing Attachments for Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means for inserting addressing printing-blocks in the form from which are printed circular letters while the same is in the printing-press, the said printing-blocks being inserted consecutively, so that each circular has a different address.

The said invention is also applicable to the printing of addresses on newspaper-wrappers and fora variety of other purposes.

Our invention consists in part in employing a flexible belt or chain to which are secured at their centers the rigid addressingblocks, whereby the belt may be deflected from a straight line without placing any strain whatever on the blocks, the belt, when the same is passing over a curved surface, separating from the ends of the blocks and adjusting itself to the surface over which it is drawn or passed. This novel construction involves the employment of some means to retain in a correct and proper position that portion of the belt which at the time is situat-ed over the chase; and our invention therefore consists, secondly, in providing the chase with a guide adapted to confine the edges of the belt at that point, as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the further description of the said invention which follows reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which Figure l is a partly-sectional side view of certain parts of an ordinary printing-press embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an exterior view of certain parts of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig-3 is an enlarged front view of a part of the chase of the printing-press, together with certain elements of the invention. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the dotted line A A of Fig 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the dotted line B B of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that the various parts of the apparatus occupy difierent relative positions, as hereinafter described.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is the fixed frame of an ordinary printing-press, and 2 the vibratory frame carrying the bed 3, the inking-rollers frame 4, and the inking-disk 5. The vibratory frame 2 is actuated from the crank disk 7 through the medium of the draw-bar 9. The inking-rollers are denoted by 10, and the chase in which the form 15 is locked by 11.

12 is a belt or chain, preferably endless, (shown in Figs. 1 and 6 bya broken line,) consisting of a series of links 13 of thin sheet metal hinged together. A front view of one link of the said chain is shown in Fig. 3, a longitudinal section in Fig. 4, and a crosssection of the same in Fig. 5.

Each link 13 of the chain 12 is provided with a stereotype or electrotype printingblock 14, containing the address of a person to whom a circular is to be sent, and the outer surface of this printing-block must be in alinement with the surface of the type in the form during the printing operation.

The printing-blocks 14 are secured to the links 13 of the chain 12 at their centers only by means of screws 16, such construction admitting of the bending of the links without placing any strain on the printing-blocks in their passage around or over pulleys or rolls, and the bending of the belt or chain independently of the addressing-blocks is particularly advantageous when the chain is drawn across the edge of the chase, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

18 is a guide for the links 13 of the chain 12 while the same are situated over the form, and it consists of a bar 19-, seated in a depression in the back of the chase. It is longitudinally channeled for the reception of the chain 12, and its central portion 20 serves as a backing for the links. The rabbets 21 are for the purpose of making room for the heads of the screws 16, which hold the printingblocks to the chain-links.

22 22 are grooves in the inner sides 23 of the block 19, through which traverse the edges of the links, as particularly shown in Fig. 5.

The portion of the grooves 22 between z and 2 (see Fig. 4) is parallel with the back of the chase, in order that the outer surface of the printing-block 14 will be in alinement with the printing-surface of the type in the form, while the remaining portion is inclined backward, so that the printing-block below the operative one may not be inked by the rollers 10 or if inked will not give an impression.

The chain 12 is drawn upward and across the chase and its contained form by means of the sprocket-wheel 25, which is loose on the stud 26, projecting laterally from the bracket 27. This bracket is fastened to the vibratory frame 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The chain passes from the sprocket-wheel down and around the idler 29, which is of polygonal cross-section, thence to and around a roll (not shown) and returns to under the idle roll 30, and thence up to the chase or the place of beginning.

To adapt the chain to be driven,'it is provided with holes 32, through which pass the spuds 33 of the sprocket-wheel and those of the idler 29. The driving sprocket-wheel 25 is intermittingly rotated by the arm 34, which is loose on the fixed stud 26, through the medium of the spring-held pawl 36, the point of which engages with the teeth 37 of the said sprocket, and the said arm receives its motion from the inking-rollers frame 4 through the agency of the rod 39, which is provided with a turnbuckle 40 for adjustment in length. A reverse rotary movement of the sprocket-wheel 25 is prevented by the arm 42, which is stationary, it being tight on the stud 26, and the spring-held pawl 43, which is pivoted to the said arm and engages with the teeth 37 of the sprocket-Wheel.

44 is the platen, operated in the usual manner from the vibratory frame 2.

48 is a hinged finger similar to the grippers ordinarily employed on the platens of printing-presses to press back the printing-block which is next below that which makes an impression. This device insome cases may not be required.

As the movement of the point of the inking-rollers frame from which the arm 34 receives its motion is in excess of that required to operate the chain at each of its strokes, and as it is necessary that the chain should be stopped during the inking of the form and the printing-block on the chain and during the time that the impression is being made, the pawl 36 has to be thrown out before it has completed its operative stroke. The pawl 36 is therefore provided with an arm 45, and a finger 46, which projects from the bracket 41, is so placed as to be in the path of the arm 45 when the pawl reaches a point at which the disconnection is required. With this construction as a link of the chain carrying a printing-block is brought into position in the form the pawl 36, through the medium of its arm 45 and the stationary finger 46, is tripped, as shown in Fig. 1, and movement of the chain is suspended, and further motion of the said chain cannot take place until the printing operation is concluded.

The draw-bar 9 is connected to the vibratory frame 2 by means of the eccentric end 47 of the shaft 35 in the usual manner, so that the bed may be thrown back a sufficient distance when an impression is not to be made, and in order that at such time there may be no movement of the chain the said shaft is provided with an arm 49, carrying a springheld tripper 50, which comes into contact with and holds the arm 45 of the pawl 36, as shown in Fig. 6, and throws the latter out of contact with the teeth of the sprocket-wheel, thus rendering itinoperative just at thetime when, if it were operative, it would effect a partial rotation of the sprocket-wheel 25 and a forward movement of the chain. The movement of the shaft 35 to produce the resultdescribed is eifected by the hand-lever 51 and the-usual mechanism which connects it to the said shaft.

Supposing the various parts of the press to be in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and the press to be in operation, the inking-rollers, which in their downward movement have previously inked the form, and the printing-block, which is stationary in the form, pass upward over the form and thence to the upper part of the inking-disk. During this operation-the pawl 36 is drawn down, and at the time when the inking-rollers have reached their farthest upward position its point is just below a tooth of the sprocket-wheel 25, and therefore nearly ready to engage with it and give the said sprocket-wheel a partial rotation. As the inking-rollers descend the pawl 36, which has just engaged with a tooth of the sprocketwheel, is moved back and effects its rotation, and this motion continues until the inkingrollers have reached the point b, when the arm 45 of the pawl 36 comes into contact with the finger 46, which serves to trip the pawl or disconnect it from the teeth of the sprocket wheel. The chain thus becomes stationary and remains so until the inkingrollers have passed down over the form and returned to the upper part of the inkingdisk, when the operation above described is repeated. Should it be desired to make no impression, the hand-lever5lis thrown over, and the arm 49 thereby elevated, so that the tripper 50 will engage with and hold the arm 45 of the pawl 36, as shown in Fig. 6, and so as to render the pawl 36 inoperative to give motion to the chain. When the hand-lever 51 is returned to its original position, the full operation of the press, as described, again takes place.

a We claim as our invention- 1. In a printing-press, the combination of a printing-form, and means to take an impres sion therefrom, a flexible belt or chain carrying printing-blocks which are attached to the same at the longitudinal center and separable therefrom at its ends, and means to effect an intermittent movement of the belt and blocks across the said printing-form, substantially as specified.

2. In a printing-press, the combination of a printing-form, and means to take an impression therefrom, a flexible belt or chain carrying printing-blocks which are attached to the same by means of screws situated on a line drawn transversely of the blocks and practically at equal distances from its ends, and means to effect an intermittent movement of the belt and blocks across the printing-form, substantially as specified.

3. In a printing-press, the combination of a printing-form and means to take an impression therefrom, a flexible belt or chain and printing-blocks which are centrally attached to the same, means to effect an intermittent movement of the chain and blocks across the said printing-form, and a guide to receive the edges of the said belt or chain where the same is over the printing-form, substantially as specified.

4. In a printing-press, the combination of a printing-form, and means to take an impression therefrom, a flexible belt or chain, printing-blocks centrally secured to the said chain, means to eifect an intermittent movement of the said chain and blocks across the printingfor'm, and mechanism operated from the impression -throw off device whereby in the throw-0E operation, the intermittent movement of the belt and its printing-blocks is suspended, substantially as specified.

JOSEPH P. BRYAN. HARRY C; SINCLAIR.

Witnesses:

WM. G. DENNY, WM, H. ADKINS. 

